New Beginnings!

 Hi Everyone,

Just a very quick blog before I head off AGAIN to foreign climes - Melbourne this time.  Yet another enforced holiday!!!!  by courtesy of Immigration (not, of course, that they are paying for it)  Perish the thought!

I went by bus (first time since March!) to the newly opened part of the city centre.  Much of it is still fenced off with many buildings demolished or waiting for the wrecking ball.  It was quite emotional initially.  Cashel Mall was more or less destroyed in February and the first retail outlets have opened, housed in shipping containers.  They are so bright and cheerful, especially in the sunshine, that it was easy to feel more positive.

The city still has a long way to go but this is a start. They have begun bus trips around the red zone today - not sure I am ready for that.  There are so few reference points to recognise - just empty spaces.

It was Olive's 4th birthday this week and she has her party tomorrow.  November 5th today so I may just take a stroll to the beach this evening to see the fireworks.  It won't be properly dark until 9pm.  Sarah and Matts' house building has begun and they hope to be in some time in February!  This week is our equivalent of the Suffolk Show and I am going on Thursday with school.  Hope it is fine.

More news when I get back from Australia.  Until then, take car.
With love Carol xxx

Gone West (and back again)

Hi Everyone,

Hope that you are all well and have enjoyed some sunshine this summer. Two dumps of snow down to sea-level in 3 weeks was a bit much, I felt. A view not shared by the younger members of the family, surprisingly! One of the olive trees fell down in the last "arctic event" so I have been busy cutting it up. A fair bit of garden re-organisation this year, I guess.

A fair few sore throats around within the family but I have survived so far. It is meant to be Spring and another cold snap is due. As long as the sky is blue I can survive (and the heating of course). We change the clocks in a couple of weeks so it will feel like summer is coming. Sorry folks - that means the opposite for you all over there.

Rain forest, Nile River.

World Cup fever abounds (Rugby for those not into the sport.) No games here in Christchurch, obviously, but there is a Fanzone for those who want it. Now who am I supporting??? The All Blacks! Sorry England, but I do support you when you are not playing the ABs. And Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Pancake Rocks Punakaiki

I have just been on a little jaunt over to the West Coast. Considering that they have so much rain we were lucky and the worst of the precipitation was overnight. It wasn't exactly sunny until the day we were coming home!!!

"Dorothy"

Twenty two on the coach so not crowded and many of the other passengers I had met before. We had a train ride into the rain forest, saw the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki and, having donned hi-vis jackets and a hard hat went into a coal mine. Quite an experience - a Hewer earned 3d a ton in the 1880s! The shovel was heavy without the coal on it and it had to be lifted up quite high to fill the tub. Add to that the dark and the wet - what a life!

"The Miner!!"

I will leave you with a few photos. Until next time, take care.

Much love Carol xxx

"let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

lemons

Hi Everyone,

What a surprise to wake up on Monday morning and see this lot of whiteness outside the bedroom window (and very other blessed window too!) Living so close to the sea it is unusual to have this much snow settling and the newscasters tell us that it the most for 19 years and the coldest day since about 1918. A bit like your last winter. The city centre looked almost pretty with the piles of rubble decked out in white. The 'best' headline was probably that it was "the icing on the quake!!!" You have to feel sorry for those families that have cold houses due to cracks and holes. I'm lucky - the house is warm and weather-tight.

oranges

I hope that you are all keeping well and enjoying some nice summer weather. My photos are all of the frosty kind to cool you down if it gets unbearably hot. Oranges and lemons still survive (we hope) but it will be interesting to see what does succumb this winter. Today (Friday) the snow is mostly gone - the kids would be very disappointed to see me punching the air in pleasure. Spoilsport Nana!

playhouse

Joe, Ben and Olive had a great time on the beach making snowmen instead of sandcastles. I will see if Sarah can put some photos on her blog soon. I hear that the dogs enjoyed it immensely too. It is the holidays at present so they could all enjoy themselves. Back to school on Monday. All the grandchildren are well. Ash had a triumph with the first public performance of his band. India has a gymnastics competition over the weekend. Joe is looking forward to his birthday and has been to a paint-balling party today. Ben is doing brilliantly at school and has been reading so well. Olive came for a sleepover and we had fun and, last but not least, Elliot is piling on the pounds like nobody's business.
olive tree

That has caught you up on all ours news I think. The aftershocks continue - it must be about 8000 by now and the first anniversary of the original quake approaches (Sept 4th). I don't feel most of them but now and again there is a sizable jolt that shakes me up. I must say that I felt very proud when I heard that all the Olympic venues were completed. Can't say that I thought it would happen when London was chosen. I guessed it would be like Athens and Beijing for the last 2 Olympics and India for the Commonwealth games. All rushing to finish in time for the opening. Well done England!

Well Folks, that is it until the next time. Take care, with love Carol xx

Happy Birthday Baby Boy

Hi Everyone,

Just a very quick blog to welcome our very new baby boy into the world. Born at 12.26 (midnight) on 23rd May 2011 the as yet unnamed boy weighed in at 5lb 7oz - a very respectable weight, considering that he was not expected for another five weeks.

I have had my first cuddle (very special), checked that he has the requisite number of fingers and toes and taken the first of many photos. He is in the neo-natal unit at the moment but I don't think he will stay there too long. ~Olive is going to be a great 'big sister'.

That's it this time. Love to you all... Carol xxx

Cruising in the sun!

Hi Everyone,

Back home and legal for another 6 months!!!! Still, it was a good excuse for another holiday. That is my story and I am sticking to it. I hope that you are all enjoying the warmer weather now - or is the cry of 'drought' sprinkling the headlines?

We are looking forward to winter (NOT) but recently the days have started out really cold but when the sun comes out ......... Bliss. Good news on my return. I CAN FLUSH!!!!! Hooray, hooray, hooray. Think you can just imagine how pleased that makes me. The chemical loo is cleaned and put away, hopefully never to be used again.

I had a lovely trip. We did not make to to Norfolk Island as the swell was about 4 foot and disembarking by tender was considered too dangerous. The Captain had not made it the previous seven attempts so we were not alone in missing out. However, did make it onto Noumea and Lifou in New Caledonia and to Vanuatu and Mystery Island so had our share of Pacific Islands.

The first Island was Noumea where French is spoken. Beautiful. I wandered around the town, visited the market and had a trip in the "Yellow Tchou Tchou Train". As the ship only stayed a few hours it was but a fleeting visit.

This is Lifou, also in the New Caledonia group. A trip away from the landing quay - a trip by tender from the ship - and it was a different world. The churches were familiar but the photo above shows the two styles of building still prevalent. The thatched building was a meeting house. The chief and his family used the left-hand door and the people the other. There was rush matting on the floor. While there we enjoyed some food cooked in the traditional way - wrapped in leaves and covered with heated stones, sacking and a layer of earth. It was rather like the 'hangi' - the Maori way of cooking. We had chicken and veg and it took about one hour - delicious.

Vanuatu was the next stop and this time we disembarked on the quayside from the ship. I had booked a trip on a glass-bottomed boat that took us part of the reef so that we could snorkel and see all the fish. The sun was hot and the water was lovely. Getting the flippers off and getting back onto the boat was a challenge though. Not easy walking in them either!

The last stop was at Mystery Island. It is just a dot on the map and part of the Vanuatu group. No one lives there as it is thought to be haunted. Again it was a trip in by tender as the reef that surrounds the island means the water is very shallow. The people from the neighbouring island come over to hold a market and to entertain the visitors and the grass landing strip is for the planes to land on . Those passengers then travel to the next island. Apart from that there is nothing except absolute beauty. I took some exercise and walked the circumference. It took ..........25 minutes! Then I had a swim. Again the water was lovely. Just marvel at the colour.

I enjoyed visiting all the islands and the people were very friendly. They all waved, especially the children, as we went past. It must have been very disappointing for the Norfolk Islanders when we could not land (and spend some money).

We were very lucky with the weather. The two days sailing home were rather 'lumpy' and uncomfortable but I survived. Here in Christchurch the aftershocks continue unabated. It seems as though about 900 buildings in the CBD will have to be demolished and more in the suburbs. I have seen some more photos and it is very upsetting not to recognise where you are in relation to the destruction.

However, we are all well. Annie's bump is growing beautifully and there are only a few weeks left to wait. Ash is looking at High Schools for next year. Ben has had his birthday and is at school full-time. He looks so grown up. Both he and Joe excel at their rugby and have done very well in the cross country at school. India's maths is improving greatly and Olive is learning her letters and writing. She loves to draw and has a very vivid imagination.

That's it for now folks; until the next time. All my love

Carol xxx

chemical toilets

Hi Everyone,

the "throne"

I trust that you are all keeping well and enjoying some better weather. Autumn has definitely descended upon us with some pretty cold days (and nights) but when the sun is shining all is right with the world. I thought I would share some musings with you on the subject of "alternative toiletting facilities!.

1. Situate your "throne."

2. When using above DO NOT allow to overfill! You will not be able to lift it!

3. Lift bottom half of throne onto transport - remember step 2 before this is necessary. DO NOT forget rubber gloves!

the "transport"

4. Trundle transport with load to dump station over wrecked pavements and gravelly roads.

5. Unscrew cap on dump station.

"dump station"

6. Remove cap from emptying tube and swing it 90 degrees.

7. Lift throne up from ground and position emptying tube into discharge hole.

8. Tip up and empty - remembering to press button on throne to avoid splashback!

9. Reverse all above steps.

10. Enjoy a cup of tea knowing that it will necessitate starting the cycle all over again. JOY!

The alternative is using the "ensuite" but as that is down the lane I don't fancy getting dressed up to use it either during the night or when it is raining. The "throne" is at least private and close by!

My love to all. Take care and continue keeping in touch.

Carol xxx

PS We don't have to boil the water anymore! Hooray! And we are assured that the chlorine will be discontinued ASAP. Another hooray!

North Island jaunt

Huka Falls nr Taupo (- sorry it is a bit dark)

Hi Everyone,

Not long since the last blog but as I have been away thought I would bring you up to date. Did I hear some one say "What again!?" Yes folks, again! This trip was arranged before the 'Big Shake' and it was good to get away although part of me wanted to be at home. Our problems have faded into insignificance since the troubles in Japan and our hearts go out to the Japanese people, especially as they have winter and the nuclear threat to contend with too.

I had a very enjoyable trip to the East Coast bays of the North Island. The group (34 of us) flew to Auckland and boarded the coach. Our driver, Bruce, didn't enjoy it as much as us as this coach was manual and his is automatic! It was a long way to travel in just 7 days - 6 if you discount the flights. I reckon in excess of 1000 kilometres.

I particularly enjoyed seeing the Art Deco city of Napier - rebuilt after the earthquake in 1931. It is very beautiful and an example of how Christchurch can recover. There is only one photo for you to see as I stupidly pressed the wrong button on my camera while deleting a video and wiped the lot. Was I angry with myself? You bet. I would have kicked myself if my foot could have reached. And no, I don't need any help with that!

On reaching home, joy! a chemical toilet had been delivered. Not having to use it yet as the water is still on but presume there will have to be further work on the water mains and sewers in the future. It will be better than the portaloo or a 'long drop', especially in the middle of the night.

Life is getting back to normal in some cases. Many of the companies who were in the centre have moved to the outskirts. The schools are mostly back and also some of the kindys. The 2 nearest supermarkets are open, ditto the coffee shops. Two of the malls are still closed and the centre of the city is still cordoned off. On a positive note, Matt and Sarah have their truck back from being stuck in a city car park. We still have to boil our water and it tastes disgusting since chlorine was added, but at least we have some.

At the memorial service last Friday we saw for the first time the desolation in the CBD on a huge video screen. It was quite shocking to see a road sign and not to recognise anything. The streets are very dusty but today's rain will settle some of it. No weeding today then! We have had such lovely weather that even spraying the streets frequently hardly helps.

In the house it is reasonably straight. The books etc have been put back on the shelves and only a few odds and ends remain on the floor. It will probably be 4 - 6 months before the Earthquake Commission get around to me so plenty of time to search for more cracks in the floor - a darning needle through the suspect areas of carpet works a treat. All in all we are OK - there are a lot worse off so shouldn't moan.

On that note I will finish this time. Thank you all for keeping in touch. Our love to each and everyone of you.

Carol xxx